as a butler. Castlereagh's good friend, the Duke of Wellington, was among those favoring the sternest of punishment for the remaining culprit, Moverly.

H. Montgomery Hyde, an M.P. already well known to many readers for his Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, has produced a brilliantly-researched study of all the evidence in this strange suicide. While he makes clear that there can be no doubt whatever that Castlereagh's suicide was triggered by the homosexual blackmail letter he received and his conviction he was about to be arrested at any moment, his name to be forever coupled with Clogher's, Hyde also provides ample evidence in support of the official explanationi.e., suicide in a fit of general depression and temporary insanity resulting from overwork. As Hyde sees it, the homosexual blackmail might have been dealt with effectively had not Castlereagh's mind started to become unbalanced in the summer of 1822, just when the Clogher scandal was on everybody's lips.

This brings Hyde to the $64 question: Can a man become so distraught at the threat of homosexual blackmail if he's not really a homosexual or involved in a homosexual act? Hyde has found no evidence that either applies to Castlereagh. Can there be all that smoke without any fire at all? In the course of his diligent research, Hyde found what he is sure provides the real answer.

According to the account of an intimate friend of Castlereagh's, published in a privately printed work of 1855, Castlereagh's homosexual involvement arose as follows:

A gang of blackmailers, taking advantage of his propensity for getting himself picked up by,prostitutes during late evening walks, pulled a remarkable "frame-up." One night he went home with an attractive young thing who, upon undressing, possibly with some assistance from His Lordship, turned out to be a young male hustler. At the crucial moment, the blackmailers burst into the room, announced that they knew Castlereagh's identity, made their accusation and told him he'd hear further from them in due course.

Curiously enough, Castlereagh never seems to have told this story to the king, to Wellington, or to any other of his friends in whose memoirs and papers are found references to the homosexual blackmail letter. Nor did he ever seem to come out with any statement to the effect that "of course, it's all a complete lie." In fact, Castlereagh's personal doctor, into whose arms he fell dying, subsequently claimed that Castlereagh had made a confession of guilt to him. However, Hyde attributes the doctor's statement to the vengeful falsehoods of an embittered man, ill-treated by Castlereagh's widow and friends.

The question remains: How could such a normally cool and self-possessed

mattachine REVIEW

individualas Castlereagh react as he did to such a relatively simple frameup. Hyde believes that the concurrent mental collapse, not to mention the coincidence of the Clogher scandal, provides a satisfactory explanation. Does it? Psychologists and historians will probably have to argue this matter for many years.

READERS write

Letters from readers are solicited for publication in this regular monthly department. They should be short and all must be signed by the writer. Only initials of the writer and the state or country of residence will be published. Opinion expressed in pub. lished letters need not necessarily reflect that of the REVIEW or the Mattachine Society. No names of individuals will be exchanged for correspondence purposes.

REVIEW EDITOR: Your letter of October 17 came to me this moming asking to know the reasons for my not having renewed my membership. It is fair that I should tell you; in fact, I want to tell you. First of all, let me assure you I am enthusiastic with the work and publications of the "Big Three" and would be hard-put to find fault with anything I have seen which they have done or said.

This break is deliberate but regarded to be temporary. However, the degree of my future participation in the movement depends upon the success of my efforts during the next few months.

An arrest three years ago put the kibosh on my career. Having no other prospect, I kept my secure student job which, plus frugal living, has now made it financially possible to try, at least, to expunge my university records and, hopefully, my civil records, as well; then, to move th'hell out of here.

Besides with Mattachine, I have membership and subscriptions with so many do-good organizations that keeping up with them well amounts to tithing and a career in itself. I sincerely believe in them and each is worthy of more than I can do. Rather than to play favorites, I amallowing all to expire in order to con serve for pending needs.

Ironically, I may be soliciting advice from Mattachine or One ere long. Were it not for the encouraging articles in those publications, it is unlikely that I would consider initiating a stand for my rights. Mr. R.B., Washington.

REVIEW EDITOR: I have recently mov. ed to Detroit and have tried to locate a branch of your organization here. Up to date I have been unsuccessful. I am hoping that you can supply me with information that will enable me to reach someone here that is a member. Or if this is impossible give me information of another organization existing here in Detroit pertaining to homosexuality.

I have been a homosexual for a great number of years but have not been ac tive at all. I now find it imperative to find answers to many questions that have arisen in my mind. I understand that there are many facets to this life and I would prefer to use a sensible and realistic approach to any further moves on my part. Having observed many creatures during the years labor ing under the guise of homosexuality in a manner that is extremely distaste ful to me, there are naturally many doubts and anxieties existing in my mind. Mr. N.G., Michigan.

REVIEW EDITOR: I will not be sending in my dues nor my monthly donation. any longer. The bisexual in whom I was interested (my reason for contacting you originally) has crossed over completely and is now living with another fellow, and they are buying a house together. So, of course, I will no longer be following the activities of this group. I do sincerely appreciate your efforts in my time of distress, but I'm sure you can realize that it is painful to even be